Agenda item

To consider the report of the Executive Head of Corporate (attached).

The Council was reminded that, at its meeting on 22 July 2020, it had referred a motion concerning historic property acquisitions to the Performance & Finance Scrutiny Committee for consideration (minute 20/C refers).

The Committee had considered the motion at its meeting on 9 September 2020 and had agreed that concerns raised that there had been insufficient information available at the time for Members to make a fully informed decision on the Mall’s purchase did warrant further investigation. It had also agreed that the information provided in the relevant reports and workshops ought to be reviewed in order to inform future decision making. 

The Council was informed that a Member Task & Finish Group had been established to review the information and advice available at the time of the decision and a progress update would be given to the Performance & Finance Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 25 November 2020.

The Committee had also recommended that a budget of up to £40,000 be requested in order to procure an external consultant to complete a desktop review of the property acquisitions set out in Annex B to the Performance & Finance Scrutiny Committee report.

It was moved by Councillor Sashi Mylvaganam, seconded by Councillor Shaun Garrett, and

RESOLVED that

(i)        the Performance & Finance Scrutiny Committee’s response to the motion referred to it by the Council be noted; and

(ii)      a budget of up to £40,000 be agreed for the provision of an external consultant to complete a desk top review of the property acquisitions set out in Annex B to the Performance & Finance Scrutiny Committee report.